After the Burn by Ronald Kelly

Author:Ronald Kelly [Kelly, Ronald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Language & Linguistics
Publisher: Crossroad Press & Macabre Ink Digital
Published: 2011-06-26T04:00:00+00:00

That evening, Jubal and Cassie sat on the front porch, watching the sun set.

They once took pleasure in that simple act… sitting in their rocking chairs and watching the dusk approach in brilliant hues of purple and pink. But now those colors seemed starkly unnatural, as though tainted by the aftereffects of the Burn.

And that wasn't the only thing that had changed. The bluish-gray mist that had once given the Smoky Mountains their namesake was now a peculiar golden color. Every now and then the wind shifted, causing the mist to swirl and sparkle like a thousand tiny fireflies.

"It's the Devil's handiwork," Cassie said to no one in particular.

Jubal sat there for a long moment, thinking. "No," he replied. "And not God's either. It's all man's doing. The spoils of his stupidity and pride."

Cassie chuckled humorlessly. "Pride goeth before the fall." She stared into the mist as though hypnotized. "I do believe this is the end times."

Jubal refrained from commenting on that point. He had never been able to understand the book of Revelations. Too much symbolism and not enough straight talk.

They lapsed into silence. It hung between them like a wall of brick and mortar. Jubal gradually realized that it was mostly constructed of his own guilt.

"Hon…" he began, "I'm sorry about the way I spoke today. About praying and such."

Cassie sat there and said nothing, in that stubborn way of hers.

"I know how you always set store in your church work and all."

Cassie said nothing. Her church was dead. They had gathered in its sanctuary directly after the Burn. They had prayed, planned, tried to band together and make the best of it. But soon grim reality had taken the place of faith and good intentions, and the flock had scattered. Now the church house was empty… except for an evil that once had been their beloved pastor. Something that hung from the rafters, dark and monstrous, spouting obscenities and blaspheming the name of the Lord.

"I don't expect you to believe, Jubal, not being a church-going man and all," she told him. Cassie Hayes sighed. "I reckon it's too late for you to even start now."

The way she said that, to his face, saddened him deeply.

They sat there quietly for a while longer. Something past the tall pines, down in the valley, howled mournfully. Neither of them could identify exactly what it was.

"Jubal," said Cassie. "What're we gonna do about the young'uns?"

The farmer shook his head. "I don't know."

"If they don't eat, they'll die," she told him. "And I'd do anything to prevent that from happening." Her eyes grew grim. "I'd go as far as give my own life for the lives of my children."

Jubal turned and looked at her. The way she had said that chilled him to the bone. "What're you getting at, Cassie?"

She didn't look him in the eyes when she said it. "It'd be simple enough, husband. Put a bullet in the back of my head while I sleep tonight. The three of you should be able to live off…"

He bounded out of his rocker, cutting her off in mid-sentence.

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